SB Nation - Montori Hughes

Spaulding Roundup: Curious Signals Out Of Tennessee & Other Game Notes

Nestor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:40:29 -0000

Hmm. We have some interesting soundbites to start out with this Gameweek Humpday. I pointed to the following quote from Ed Orgeron, the Volunteers assistant head coach (who used to be one of Chetey Petey's head honcho across town) setting up the game week (emphasis added throughout):

"I tell you what, you will not find anybody else in the world that wants to beat UCLA more than Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin.''

Orgeron made that comment on Kiffin's TV show Sunday morning. Kiffin downplayed the comments from his assistant coach:

"I didn’t say that. I read that. I don’t know. You’d have to ask him why he said that," Kffin told reporters. "He’s never been very fond of their colors or their team. I remember a lot of pregame speeches from him."

Kiffin worked very hard to apparently to let everyone know he didn't make those comments (guess he is not responsible for the actions of his own assistant coaches) and gave the right answers on his relationship with Norm Chow. From the LA Times:

Chow was USC's offensive coordinator and Kiffin a Trojan assistant from 2001-04. That ended when Coach Pete Carroll either promoted Kiffin in order not to lose him or ditched Chow because he was getting too much credit after consecutive national championships, depending on the version.

But Kiffin was ready with the right answer, saying Chow was "very instrumental in my development as a coach. I got a chance to spend four years next to him. I watched him call plays. I watched him run the quarterbacks. I watched him run the offense. I am very grateful to have had that chance."

Well that's really sweet. Kiffin then vowed that his players were not going to look back at last year's game:

"This is a different team, and a different time. We don't talk about the past," he said. "This just happens to be the next one on the schedule. It has nothing to do with whether we've played them before or whether we've had success or not."

Somehow Kiffin's message of not talking about the past didn't seem to get to Vol. superstar All World safety Eric Berry:

[B]erry, the Volunteers' All-American safety, called the loss to UCLA last season a self-inflicted wound.

"I'm not saying we thought we were going to beat them going into the game, but we did ease up on them at the end," Berry said. "We can't let that happen again, with us losing focus and pretty much giving up at the end of the game."

Well I guess thanks to Mr. Berry's kindness and generosity for gift wrapping last year's win. More than happy to take it.

Not sure what to make of all these comments coming out of Knoxville though. It's kind of weird. They seemed to be a little of out of sync with each. It's too bad Jill Painter was barking up the wrong tree to write up her dumb story. It might have been more on point if she had taken an early flight out to Tennessee. More game notes after the jump.

We have talked a lot about Bruins playing 18 freshmen (including 8 true freshmen) last weekend against San Diego State. Bruins will be talking on a Tennessee team that is going through its own youth movement. They played 10 freshmen in their 63-7 win over Western Kentucky. The group was headlined by wide receiver Marsalis Teague who was the only one to start and led the receivers with 86 yards on 6 catches with a 5 yard TD pass. From AP's Beth Rucker:

"I thought Marsalis was extremely impressive, especially for him to start and all the pressure with that," coach Lane Kiffin said.

Kiffin told the Vols before the season they would all have a chance to earn starting positions and playing time — including the true freshmen.

Tailback Bryce Brown got his share of playing time, racking up 104 yards rushing and a touchdown. Fellow running back David Oku added two more touchdowns.

Receivers Nu'Keese Richardson and Zach Rogers, safety Darren Myles Jr., cornerback Mike Edwards, safety Janzen Jackson, linebacker Greg King, defensive tackle Montori Hughes and linebacker Nigel Mitchell-Thornton also played.

Not everything went smoothly in their first game. Richardson fumbled his first punt return. Brown broke a 34-yard run up the sideline but stepped out of bounds rather than pushing forward for more yards.

"He ran out of bounds and did not finish it in the style that we play with here, so that was disappointing, but he'll learn from that," Kiffin said.

I am sure Kiffin and co. will be working these kids hard all week so that they can make a dramatic jump in terms of improvement from Western Kentucky to UCLA. These guys will be in the same situation like our freshmen and first time starters who I imagine are working hard this week on the practice field and film room to learn from their mistakes from first week.

One of the guys who will get a huge shot this week will be redshirt sophomore Courtney Viney, who is going to get the start at other CB spot (because of injury to Aaron Hester). Per Jon Gold of the Daily News, Viney is ready to seize his moment:

"The guy just finds ways to make plays," Neuheisel said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world, but you can't tell him that. That's why small people can play this game, because they don't know they're small and won't buy into the thought they are. Courtney was `Johnny on the Spot' the other night, and we needed him." [...]

UCLA will match up against an offense that put up 63 points - albeit against a Western Kentucky team making its Football Bowl Subdivision debut. The 5-foot-8 Viney will match up against Quintin Hancock for some of the game.
Make that 6-foot-3 senior wide receiver Quintin Hancock.

Viney has some experience against bigger wideouts, including UCLA's 6-3 Taylor Embree.

"I love when I see Courtney going one on one against taller receivers," Lake [Carnell Lake] said. "That's the kind of work he's going to get. Tennessee has those receivers, too."

I think Viney will be up to the challenge. I was impressed with his effort from Saturday. Not only did he look ready to step up he also played a big role in shutting down the Aztecs passing attack. I thought he was a big part of the defensive effort that throttled Ryan Lindley after the first two drives by San Diego State.

I am not saying it is going to be easy for him. No doubt the Tennessee offense will be gunning for him. However, as Lake mentioned, it's not like there will be lack of preparation on his part since he is going to go up against tall, athletic recievers at practice every day.

Saturday is going to be a monster challenge for the entire team. If he can read through the mixed signals referenced above the fold, you can sense how Kiffin and Orgeron will have their guys lathered up with emotion and ready for blood. I think this will also represent a huge opportunity for Neuehisel and our guys to make a statement on national stage.

Time and time again UCLA football team has embarrassed itself on national stage in this kind of situation in recent years. We are not going to get that many opportunities to make a statement on national stage this year (except for couple of other key conference games). I do believe the goal for this year is somehow sneak into a bowl game and keep the recruiting momentum going. However, if we can come out and fight, match their intensity with focus, and sneak out with a win, it will turn into rocket boosters for this program.

I wrote last night how our defensive front-7 will have their hands full with the Tennessee o-line. They will need to hold their own against the size and experience of Tennessee OL. However, it will take more than that. We are going to need a lot of help from our special teams and we are going to need poise and focus from our offense. We can't come out and go three and out like we did against BYU last season. We will have to mount some credible drives early in the game and get on the scoreboard early. All of this again comes down to having focus and the requisite intensity to match the emotion (and possibly hatred) coming from the Tennessee sidelines. We will have to be ready for a fight.

GO BRUINS.

Opening Our Files: Roundup on Tennessee Previews & Other Volunteer Notes

Nestor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:26 -0000

So let's officially open up our collective notebooks on Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols under first year head coach Lane Kiffin is coming off a picture perfect opener against newly minted D-1 Western Kentucky. The numbers the Volunteers piled up against the Hilltoppers were pretty sick. From the Tennessee team report posted over at Yahoo! Sports:

Western Kentucky turned Jonathan Crompton into Peyton Manning Lite, as the senior quarterback tossed five touchdown passes Saturday in a season-opening 63-7 annihilation at Neyland Stadium.

"To see Jonathan throw for five touchdowns today, more than he threw for all of last year, was really good for him," Kiffin said. "This is a quarterback and an offensive line that has been torn apart for a while now."

Crompton and the O-line did the tearing in front of a sun-drenched crowd of 98,761. Tennessee finished with 657 yards and 34 first downs, numbers that would have required three games to amass last year when the team went 5-7 and cost Phillip Fulmer his job.

Tailbacks Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown each rushed for more than 100 yards and scored a touchdown. Hardesty rolled up 160 and Brown, a highly touted freshman, ended with 104.

Monte Kiffin’s defense had the Hilltoppers in minus numbers during the third quarter and allowed only 83 yards in 46 snaps. Western Kentucky picked up just six first downs.

The Volunteers piled up video game numbers on both sides of the ball, racking up 657 total yards and 34 first downs on offense, while limiting the Hiltoppers to 6 first downs (apparently their only first down in first half came via a penalty).

Yeah, I know it's kind of easy to dismiss those crazy numbers because they were taking on a hapless Hilltoppers bunch that was apparently playing their first D-1 game. However, I am not going to discount this kind of performance in their opening game under new coach, because it (at least on paper) shows that they are trying to put together a team with lethal killer instincts.

Bruins will have a puncher's chance though (even though at this point I am not seeing how we can pull out this win with a freshman QB and a completely revamped OL). The Tennessee team we are going to play this season is going to be a bit different than the one we shocked at the Rose Bowl. I have gathered some of the pre-season notes on their personnel from around the web with the latest update from our colleagues at Rocky Top Talk (RTT), after the jump.

So Kiffin (or should I say the Kiffins?) will be waiting for the Bruins with a team that returns 12 starters (7 on offense and 5 on defense) from last year's team. Paul Meyerberg from the New York Times has the following lowdown on the key losses from last year's team:

Key losses: Tennessee’s losses on offense are most felt at receiver, where the team lost two 2008 starters to graduation and another pair of potential 2009 starters to injuries. Lucas Taylor was one of Tennessee’s more dependable targets last fall, making 26 grabs for a team-leading 332 yards. The Vols also lost the part-time starter Josh Briscoe, who made 14 receptions for 176 yards and a score. Making matters worse, U.T. lost the senior Austin Rogers (14 for 180) for the season in the spring because of an A.C.L. tear, and may also be without the junior Denarius Moore for much of 2009. Moore, who made 11 receptions for 271 yards (a team-best 24.6 yards per reception), broke his left foot two weeks ago and may miss as much as three or four months. The team also faces a gap on the right side of its offensive line, where it lost guard Anthony Parker and tackle Ramon Foster (27 career starts). In the backfield, running back Arian Foster (570 yards, 1 touchdown) might have had a disappointing senior season, but he still departs as the team’s second-leading career rusher (2,964 yards). As a junior, Foster earned all-SEC honors after rushing for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also added 83 career receptions, 19 as a senior. The would-be junior Lennon Creer, the team’s second-leading rusher last fall with 388 yards, opted to leave the program in April.

On defense, Tennessee lost a pair of starters at each level: the line, linebackers and secondary. The biggest is most likely end Robert Ayers, who earned all-SEC honors as a senior. He seemed to put it all together in his final season, making 49 tackles, a team-best 15.5 for loss, and 3 sacks. At tackle, the 21-game starter Demonté Bolden had 35 stops (6 for loss) as a senior. Middle linebacker Ellix Wilson led the team with 89 tackles, and added a sack and an interception; a fine season for the first-year starter and team leader. Rounding out the losses at linebacker are Nevin McKenzie (53 tackles, 10 for loss, a team-best 5 sacks) and Adam Myers-White. The U.T. defense must also replace cornerback DeAngelo Willingham and safety Demetrice Morley. Willingham, a two-year starter, finished second on the team with three interceptions. The would-be senior Morley added 42 tackles and 2 interceptions, but was kicked off the squad after violating team rules. That’s the second time Morley has been kicked off the team in three years; he won’t get a third shot.

Now don't get lulled into a false sense of comfort after reading those grafs. ~~First of all not sure where NYT got their info on Lucas Taylor because I still see him listed in Tennessee's depth chart this season. So that's a mistake~~. As for their losses at WRs, they have plenty of youngsters sprinkled through their depth chart (PDF) (HT hooper at RTT via Chattanooga Times Free Press).

Also, despite the loss of Paker and Foster at the OL, the Voluntees will have a powerful, huge veteran OL ready for the Bruin front-7 this weekend in Knoxville. If I read their correctly everyone except their center is over 300lbs and all of their starter are upper classmen (except for Jarrod Shaw, the 6-4, 332 Jr. who is listed as "Co-No-1" with Aaron Douglas, 6-6 282 red shirt freshman) From Athlon Sports' pre-season capsule on the Tennessee OL:

Chaney (OC John Cheney, who who Kiffin pried away from the St. Louis Rams, - BN Ed.) has brought with him a zone blocking scheme that has enabled the Vols’ linemen to play with more aggression. The interior line is strong with fourth-year starter Josh McNeil at center flanked by fellow seniors Jacques McClendon and Vladimir Richard. Senior Chris Scott has a hold on left tackle duties, while Jarrod Shaw and converted tight end Aaron Douglas are battling for the starting job at right tackle. "Last season was rough," Richard says. "But Coach (Kiffin) is a competitor. He loves smacking people in the mouth." After years of defensive dominance in practice drills, the UT offensive line stepped up and proved it could hold its own in the spring.

On other key returnees let's go back to that capsule from the NYT:

Players to watch: He’s undoubtedly the best defensive player in the F.B.S. But in my mind, the strong safety Eric Berry is the best player in the country – regardless of position. Yeah, there’s that quarterback down in Gainesville, so maybe Berry’s coming in second. That shouldn’t detract from what we’re all seeing from the talented junior: he’s the best defender U.T. has developed since Reggie White, and in my mind, if Tennessee shocks the SEC and wins 9 or 10 games, Berry should receive very heavy consideration for the Heisman. Through two seasons, Berry stands second in the N.C.A.A. with an SEC-record 487 interception return yards, a total coming off of 12 interceptions. His single-season outputs in this category rank first (265 yards last fall) and third (222 in 2007) in SEC history. Last fall, Berry tallied 73 tackles (8.5 for loss), 3 sacks and 7 interceptions, two of which he returned for scores. (He may have been Tennessee’s best offensive weapon.) For his efforts, Berry was a unanimous all-American – U.T.’s first since 1990 – and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The only college safety I’ve seen match Berry’s combination of speed, ferocity and ball skills was the late, great Sean Taylor. So, as you see, he’s the king of the U.T. defense. Who will help carry the load? The Vols return the junior Dennis Rogan at one cornerback spot, as well as the 2007 starter Brent Vinson. Also competing for a starting spot at corner are the sophomores Art Evans and C.J. Fleming, though I wouldn’t be surprised if one of Tennessee’s heralded incoming freshmen make a push for playing time. U.T. will look toward the freshmen Prentiss Wagner and Rod Wilks or the sophomore Stephaun Raines at free safety. The senior Rico McCoy (87 tackles and a sack last fall) is the lone returning starter at linebacker. Making the push to join him in the starting lineup are the juniors Nick Reveiz (middle) and LaMarcus Thompson (strongside), each of whom played important roles on special teams a season ago. Besides McCoy, U.T. is very young and untested at linebacker. The situation is a little clearer on the line, where the juniors Ben Martin (18 tackles, 1 sack) and Chris Walker (15 tackles, 3 sacks) have secured their places as the starters at end. You’ll likely find the senior Dan Williams (48 stops, 8.5 for loss) on the nose, while the senior Wes Brown (37 tackles, 2.5 sacks) finds himself in competition with the freshman Montori Hughes for the second starting spot on the interior.

On offense, the senior Jonathan Crompton will again be the starter at quarterback. Let’s ignore the fact that his starting job has come by default. Quite simply, Crompton must be better in 2009 than he was a season ago. It shouldn’t be too difficult, as he did not play up to his potential last fall: 86 of 167 (51.5 percent) for 889 yards, with four touchdowns against five interceptions. He can – and should – be better, but some aspects of Crompton’s game must improve. His touch, for example. Crompton lacked it last fall, when he seemed to throw every pass as hard as he could. His decision-making must also improve. His only competition for the starting job is the junior Nick Stephens, who has missed most of the last five months while recuperating from a hand injury. Stephens started six games last fall, putting up numbers similar to Crompton’s (840 yards, 4 touchdowns, 3 picks). The senior Montario Hardesty ascends to the top spot in the backfield after rushing for 271 yards a season ago. That total leads all returning Volunteers. He may be the lead back, but the Vols will also give carries to the sophomore Tauren Poole and the true freshman Bryce Brown, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the 2009 cycle. Brown chose U.T. in part because of the potential for immediate playing time, so expect to see his number called early and often. Three starters return up front, led by the potential all-conference center Josh McNeil. The senior enters his final season with 35 career starts, the most of any active Volunteer. McNeil was a freshman all-American in 2006 and an honorable mention all-SEC selection in 2007. He’s joined up front by the senior left tackle Chris Scott and the senior left guard Vladimir Richard. I’m intrigued by the potential of the redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas, a former tight end who is in the hunt to start at right tackle. Given his experience and lack of prototypical size (he’s only 282 pounds, my word), can Douglas be the presence required of the right tackle in the run game?

Well as mentioned above looks like Douglas impressed the coaches sufficiently enough that he earned a spot on the depth chart as "co number 1" (whatever that means) with Jarrod Shaw. In some ways, Douglas sounds like he is the same situation as Nate Chandler found himself last year (when we were hurting for bodies at OL) as the coaches are doing whatever they can to incorporate his size and athleticism into the lineup.

Now in terms of what to expect next week, my bet is that Kiffin and Cheney will devise a plan on offense in which they will rely on a power running game. Again from Pete Fiutak's preview at Scout.com:

What to watch for on offense: Power running. The coaching staff will try to pound the ball, rely on the tremendous defense, and try to control the game and the clock. The passing game will try to push the ball deep a little more to stretch things out, but the offense will spend most of its time using its humongous, veteran line to pave the way for a fantastic group of backs. The backfield was good enough to get by, and then came the recruiting class with Toney Williams, David Oku, and the No. 1 prospect in America according to CFN, Bryce Brown, all ready to make a huge impact and upgrade the stalled ground attack.

What to watch for on defense: A ton of interceptions. All the pieces are there for the secondary to come up with a phenomenal year. Not only is there track star speed across the board, but there’s all-everything safety Eric Berry as the sheriff in the Tampa 2 scheme, but the pass rush should be better. Even with Robert Ayers off to the NFL, the Vol defensive front should be more active with Ben Martin and Chris Walker two speedsters on the ends who should be camped out in opposing backfields.

Going back to their offense, I am still shocked at how the Tennessee coaching staff from last year forgot to run the ball down our throats last season at the Rose Bowl. They had piled up around 180 yards rushing and 2 TDs running the ball against our defense last year yet for some inexplicable reasons they decided to go away from that and depend on Crompton's arm. I just don't think Kiffin is going to make the same mistake. I fully expect them to come after our front-7 all evening long with their powerful OL, and do what they can to wear us down on their home turf. This is going to be a huge challenge for our defense.

I think the key for us on Saturday is going to be somehow get on the board early. If they we can get on the board early and then force them to go away from the game plan of running the ball down our throats, we will have a shot.Needless to say special teams is going to be a huge factor. We are going to need our kickers to give us good field position as much as possible forcing the Volunteers to go long drives. Otherwise if we fall behind early and make early mistakes on offense, the situation has the potential to snowball out of control like last year in BYU.

It will take supreme concentration and focus on our part to hang in there early against the Volunteer emotion, and then somehow put ourselves in position to steal the game in second half. My head tells me that we are simply too young and inexperienced (on offense) to pull this off. My heart is pulling for our guys to make me eat crow on Saturday night. So that's what I have for initial notes on the Volunteers to get the scouting started for this week. I will throw it back to you start filling up the info. folders on Tennessee (either via comment thread here or in the FanPosts).

GO BRUINS.

Vols to Watch For in the Opener

Will — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:53:32 -0000

Despite all the new that will be on hand Saturday at 12:21, there are a few things we know for sure: the Vols will still run thru the T, Nick Reveiz is still short, and Eric Berry is still Eric Berry, son.

...that's about it.

Joel used the word "carnival" to describe it Monday night on the podcast, and he's right: there will be so much to see for the very first time, Vol fans may find themselves in sensory overload by the first TV timeout. Amidst the orange flood in Lane Kiffin's personal genesis, here are five key things we're watching for on Saturday afternoon:

The Fab Five

That's right: Jimmy, Jalen, CWebb, Ray and Juwan.

(Do you know that a google search for "Fab Five" pulls up a Texas cheerleader scandal before the Michigan basketball team?)

In years past, it seems like if we even had five freshmen who would be contributing right away, we'd be talking about both sides of the ball plus special teams. But Lane Kiffin's first class has combined with injuries to upperclassmen to produce five offensive skill players - Bryce Brown, David Oku, Nu'Keese Richardson, Marsalis Teague and Zach Rogers - who will be seeing significant action on Saturday.

Brown is the co-#1 starter at tailback, and as Rivals' overall #1 recruit, all eyes will be on #11 when he gets in the game (though in fairness, we haven't seen the fully armed and operational Montario Hardesty in about two years either, so I'm very eager to see what the senior can do as well). Oku could be the first Vol to touch the ball in '09, as he'll be returning kicks with Dennis Rogan.

Nu'Keese Richardson could also touch it first as the Vols' primary punt returner, who has also claimed the top spot on the WR depth chart and seen some camp action at quarterback in a package we're still trying decide what exactly to call. Teague and Rogers will see action alongside Brandon Warren and Quintin Hancock at wide receiver as well.

One big day from any of these guys would be special. Getting contributions from several of them would be even better.

The Defensive Line

They may not all be freshmen, but there's a possibility that all four starters could be seeing their first action in a brand new role.

Chris Walker was a backup end last season, was the most talked about defensive player not named Eric Berry in the spring, and will receive his first starting assignment on Saturday. Gerald Williams is slated to lineup on the other side, who was playing linebacker while Walker was being called "unblockable" this spring. Now Williams has been called the most dominant player on the line in fall camp. We've never seen either of these guys show anything like that at defensive end in an actual game...but we're ready and willing to have our hopes validated, early and often.

In the middle, Wes Brown has been moved from end to tackle, though his snaps will be limited due to the structural integrity of his knees. And if freshman Montori Hughes can hold off Dan Williams - who thought about turning pro last season - the Vols will have four brand new faces at each position from last season's starting defensive line. And where that would normally be a cause for great concern, this entire offseason it's been a cause for great optimism, based on their play in practice and scrimmages. Tennessee needs this defensive line to be more than good if the Vols are going to have the type of season they want to have. That type of performance can start with lots of time in the WKU backfield on Saturday.

Not Eric Berry

We know all about #14, and the new VolTron will be eager to show you more during breaks in the action on Saturday I'm sure. What we don't at all know about is Dennis Rogan at free safety, or just about everybody who is slated for action on the two deep at corner.

Brent Vinson has been banged up in camp, and has thus disappeared from the depth chart. Marsalous Johnson has seen limited action before at corner, but he's currently listed as the #2 option on the right side.

That leaves freshmen Mike Edwards, Eric Gordon, and Janzen Jackson, plus Anthony Anderson and Art Evans (Darren Myles is EB's backup. Have you ever seen EB come out for a play?). We've never seen anything from any of these guys before, and chances are before the year's out we're going to see lots from all of them.

I know Eric Berry can play. I don't know if any of these other kids can. We're all eager to find out...so any of them who get their hands on a ball on Saturday, we'll instantly feel a lot better about.

Cody Sullins, Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw

Sullins has been neck and neck with Josh McNeil since Kiffin opened practice back in the spring, so the news that Josh McNeil may never play football again isn't as devastating on the field as it is off it. But in a spot where the Vols have no quality depth to begin with, they'll also be counting on these three names to step into the fray immediately and protect...

Jonathan Crompton

Alright, so we'd all love to see 25 of 30 for 350 and a touchdown pass to each freshman on Saturday...but we don't need it.

What we need is confidence. Crompton sounds like he has it - he sounded better in Tuesday's press conference than I've heard him since this time last year, he's earned his own fresh start, and playing well - not great, just well - would be a tremendous way to build his own confidence, and silence those who are waiting for his first mistake to revisit old demons.

If our quarterback - because that's what he is - can limit poor decisions, not turn the ball over, and simply manage the offense and all those other cliches, Tennessee's offense will be much improved. Against Western Kentucky, a team that will start so many young players on defense, Crompton and the offense may have a chance to get off to a really good start.

Like any broken relationship, it's going to take plenty of time and more than one good moment to reconcile the two parties, Crompton and the fans. But he can take a huge, huge step in the right direction - both with the fanbase, and in the infinitely more important department of winning football games - with a good performance on Saturday.

What about you? What are you watching for as the season finally begins?

Poll

Who are you most interested to see in the season opener on Saturday?

The Fab Five

86 votes

The Defensive Line

15 votes

New Offensive Linemen

9 votes

New Defensive Backs

5 votes

Jonathan Crompton

131 votes

other (leave it in the comments)

8 votes

254 votes | Poll has closed

Talking Points: dust settles, positive attitude remains

Joel — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:27:59 -0000

by Wade Payne - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee's Montario Hardesty leaps over players during football practice Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. It was Tennessee's first day in pads. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

View full size photo »

The folks who were challenged and/or displaced by underclassmen through competition this fall are having a good attitude about the whole thing. Montario Hardesty finds himself a co-starter with true freshman Bryce Brown, but says, "I think we can all do good things with the ball in our hand," and Dan Williams, who was practically a lock to start at nose tackle for much of the fall but has recently found himself as a co-starter with freshman Montori Hughes, concedes that he was making mistakes while Hughes was improving daily and says that Hughes is going to help the team.

Tauren Poole took the biggest hit as he would have almost certainly been the second-string running back under the prior regime, yet he now finds himself fourth on the depth chart behind senior Hardesty and true freshmen Bryce Brown and David Oku. Poole, though, has this to say:
It's been [competitive] the whole time, ever since Bryce and Oku got here. We all knew it was going to be like that, and it's been healthy competition. It makes each and every one of us better each and every day, and I think it's a great thing for the team.

As competitive and fast-paced as fall camp has been, Tennessee coaches and players are kicking it up yet another notch for the first Game Week of the Chimera Era. They are somehow also working on getting their legs back, an apparent inconsistency explained by more energy but fewer reps.

The offense is still missing some folks -- Gerald Jones, Denarius Moore, Austin Rogers, and Josh McNeil -- but the entire defense is back and ready to go ($?). Kiffin's conclusion? "[W]e must have practiced a lot harder on offense than defense this camp." Moore, by the way, is running agility drills during practice and looking like he could be back for UCLA.

Special teams will feature an abundance of starters, including Eric Berry and Montario Hardesty.

Newsflash: Tennessee is going to run the ball against Western Kentucky. Oh, and Hilltopper quarterbacks coach Bob Cole was Wyoming's offensive coordinator last year, and hopes to have two consecutive years of success as an opponent in Neyland Stadium. Unless he can figure out how to get Kiffin fired before Friday, I don't see that happening, do you?

QB prospect Tyler Bray is taking his official visit to Tennessee this weekend. Tall. Skinny. But QB.

The Tennessee Volunteers Football Depth Chart is Out

Hooper — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:38:34 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

He's been patiently waiting to find out who the other 21 would be. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

The first real, comprehensive depth chart (pdf) of the Tennessee Volunteers was released yesterday, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press (h/t to Home Sweet Home of Gate21). As expected, freshmen players litter the field, including a listing or two that are surprising even to those following the practices.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

#1 - Jonathan Crompton This we knew, as it was announced on Monday.
#2 - Nick Stephens

Fullback

#1 - Kevin Cooper Cooper is a little shorter and stouter than Johnson, which should help in blocking situations. I don't know how the receiving comparison works out, but protection for the quarterback is probably a high priority until we know how well Crompton performs with the new offense against actual opponents.
#2 - Austin Johnson I'm a little surprised not to see Sam Edgmon given a nod, considering how well he seemed to be catching passes.

Tailback

#1 - Bryce Brown and Montario Hardesty The first surprise to me is the cop-out of listing co-#1s. Even if the very first play against Western Kentucky has both of these players in (and one fullback out), one of the two is still the #2 option for the staff. I still think that, at the moment, Hardesty is the "first-option tailback", but this might be a way to add some publicity for Bryce Brown.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Nu'Keese Richardson Nuke is the only true freshman to have unquestioned ownership of a #1 slot on the offense. Getting the nod over Warren is a testament to his work ethic and his ability to stay healthy through the preseason. I wonder, though, how much of this was influenced by the injury to Gerald Jones and the need to add a little more speed and maneuverability on the field.
#2 - Brandon Warren Stay healthy and practice hard, young man. Coaches don't evaluate training table etiquette when choosing starters.

Wide Receiver

#1 - Quintin Hancock In his senior year, Hancock has a golden opportunity to show Vol Nation that he's as good as he can look in practice. That he is the tall receiver on the field (and not Brandon Warren) is a statement about the premium that the coaching staff placed on practice time.
#2 - Marsalis Teague I wouldn't expect Teague to be far behind right now, with Hancock having the advantage of spring practice to learn more of the playbook. By the time Jones gets back, Teague may very well have moved up (back) to send on the depth chart here.

Tight End

#1 - Luke Stocker Stocker's the better receiver, and Cottam's the better blocker. This may be more informative of the staff's offensive tendencies than the actual comparison between the two.
#2 - Jeff Cottam I have to wonder: if he hadn't been injured all last year, where would Cottam be as a player right now?

Left Tackle

#1 - Chris Scott No surprise here.
#2 - Dallas Thomas The redshirt freshman is the heir apparent and should get some live fire time here and there throughout the season.

Left Guard

#1 - Vladimir Richard I like Vlad, he's a fun guy.
#2 - Cody Pope Another heir apparent, it's notable that Vlad is listed at 300 lb and Pope at 288. This offensive line is going to be much lighter and quicker than last year's, courtesy of a different zone blocking concept.

Center

#1 - Cody Sullins Who might have been #1 even if McNeil hadn't been injured.
#2 - Cory Sullins Learn quickly, young man. Please learn quickly.

Right Guard

#1 - Jacques McClendon where experience again made the difference. The right guard will be critical in the new running game, as he both assists the center in blocking and is the primary blocker to open up most cutback lanes on zone sweep plays. If you're inclined to watch line play, watch him.
#2 - William Brimfield Note, though, that the beef is apparent on the right side of the line. McClendon is 324 and Brimfield is 346. Run blockers, yes.

Right Tackle

#1 - Aaron Douglas and Jarrod Shaw Even more transparent than the co-number 1 running backs - we're not going to see two right tackles on the first play against Western Kentucky. I'm guessing that Douglas has more potential, but Shaw is more polished.

DEFENSE

(Note: I think that the defensive line terms of 'left' and 'right' refer to the left and right as the offense sees them, so the left end lines up against the offense's left tackle, and so on.)

Left End

#1 - Gerald Williams Raise your hand if you saw this coming at the beginning of spring camp, when GW was begging Kiffin to let him play linebacker. It's good to be unblockable.
#2 - Willie Bohannon and Ben Martin Sigh. Another co-listing. I'll stop that now, as you know my feelings.

Left Tackle

#1 - Wes Brown - at 257 pounds, he's one of the lighter starting tackles you'll ever see. This feels much like a pass-rushing tackle, similar to the way the New York Giants line up.
#2 - Andre Mathis - I think Mathis will be in for short-yardage situations.

Right Tackle

#1 - Montori Hughes and Dan Williams Talk of Dan Williams not being the exclusive starter did not begin for a while, and even when Hughes came on strong earlier in the fall camp, it was thought he'd be at left tackle. The staff really like what they see in this new kid, and so do I.

Right Guard

#1 - Chris Walker who has also had a really nice fall, though you don't tend to hear about it as much because of Williams and Hughes.
#2 - Steven Fowlkes The consensus on Fowlkes appear to be that he has a really, really high ceiling but is still developing. If he stays on course, then next year's presumed lineup of Gerald Williams, Hughes, and Fowlkes may be special.

Strongside Linebacker

#1 - LaMarcus Thompson This is not a surprise.
#2 - Greg King That Thompson was the obvious #1 is not a slight on King, though. You don't hear much of him, but it's always been very complimentary. I think he should be at full speed next year.

Middle Linebacker

#1 - Nick Reveiz Even less surprising. The staff loves this guy, and his attitude should be a real emotional boost for the whole defense.
#2 - Herman Lathers It's hard to find information on Lathers, both because the news coverage on linebackers has been almost nonexistent and because Shorty Reveiz has made a better story whenever they did bother mentioning these guys.

Weakside Linebacker

#1 - Rico McCoy Injury didn't keep him from losing his slot. Healthy, he's one of our best and I look forward to seeing him play.
#2 - Savion Frazier I'm curious how close Frazier came to taking the slot when McCoy was hurt. Unfortunately, the lack of news drama here suggests it wasn't as close as I'd hoped.

Left Cornerback

#1 - Anthony Anderson and Mike Edwards I think this really means that Anderson is the #1 for the first couple of games, but Edwards could take it so long as he keeps learning the system.

Right Cornerback

#1 - Art Evans No real surprise here. His name has come up quite a bit during practices, particularly for his interceptions.
#2 - Marsalous Johnson The depth is really nice in the secondary.

Strong Safety

#1 - Eric Berry
#2,436 - Darren Myles, Jr. and Prentiss Waggner Welcome to the competition for the guy that gets to replace Eric Berry next year. Don't worry; we won't be judging you according to Berry. Sure.

Free Safety

#1 - Janzen Jackson and Dennis Rogan I'm still a little surprised that Rogan gets moved around between corner and safety as much as he does. Jack of all trades, master of none? However it works out, I'd like him to have a more permanent home on the roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

#1 - Daniel Lincoln
#2 - Chad Cunningham

Punter

#1 - Chad Cunningham His kicking strength is supposedly much better this year.
#2 - David Harrington
#3 - The Ghost of Colquitts Past

Kickoffs

#1 - Chad Cunningham
#2 - Daniel Lincoln

Punt Returner

#1 Nu'Keese Richardson I guess those worries about ball-catching weren't enough to sway the staff. Hopefully that means he's been catching better.
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Kick Returner

#1 - David Oku
#2 - Dennis Rogan

Deep Snapper

#1 - Morgan Cox
#2 - Nick Guess

Holder

Bram Cannon

Instant Impact: The Top 10 Freshman Performances at UT in the Last 20 Years

Will — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:44:45 -0000

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Jamal Lewis: the standard for success as a UT freshman, still going strong a dozen years later.

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Under Phillip Fulmer, we became used to only a handful of freshmen seeing action right away. Lane Kiffin came in with promises of playing time for freshmen, and thus far in camp has lived up to his word. Between Kiffin's new philosophy and a rash of injuries at unfortunate spots, the list of freshmen who could see immediate action on the two deep is at least a dozen deep.

It's tempting to believe that (choose from Bryce Brown, David Oku, Marsalis Teague, Nu'Keese Richardson, Zach Rogers, Montori Hughes, Jerod Askew, Greg King, Mike Edwards, Eric Gordon, Janzen Jackson, Darren Myles, I could keep going) is going to have an incredible breakout season and be great as soon as they put the jersey on, but with freshmen you just never know until you see it.

So until we do, here are ten impact performances turned in by freshmen at the University of Tennessee in the last 20 years. This list is freshmen from high school only - no juco transfers, no ex-professional baseball players. These guys don't come along every day or every season...but there is a precedent for kids coming on campus and having an immediate impact.

10. K Jeff Hall 1995

The most famous name in a lineage of freshman UT kickers, Hall earned Freshman All-SEC honors in '95, and booted home the game winner against Georgia in his second career appearance. He also hit key field goals in wins over Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and knocked home two fourth quarter field goals in the rain as the Vols beat Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. His performance in the clutch gives him the edge over Daniel Lincoln, who was also named Freshman All-SEC in 2007.

9. Freshmen Offensive Linemen: Jeff Smith (92), Bubba Miller (92), Cosey Coleman (97), Michael Munoz (00), Arron Sears (03), Josh McNeil (06)

Every once in a while, the Vols have brought in an offensive lineman who was capable of contributing immediately, and in the case of all six of these gentlemen, being thrust into a starting role in their first season. All six would earn Freshman All-SEC honors.

8. WR/DB Carl Pickens 1989

This redshirt freshman was so talented in 1989, he played both ways and returned kicks. As a free safety, Pickens grabbed five interceptions and was named the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl win against Arkansas. His only problem on offense was the talent around him, giving him fewer receptions because guys like Alvin Harper were taking them instead. Pickens left defense behind in 1990 and turned in two more incredible seasons at UT, and he is arguably the most talented Vol wide receiver ever.

7. RBs James Stewart & Aaron Hayden 1991

Where we'd be today if we didn't have Montario Hardesty. With no returning experience in the backfield in 1991, the Vols gave the keys to a pair of freshmen from the opening game, and Stewart and Hayden would respond with four solid years in the orange and white. In their debut at Louisville (in the first-ever ESPN Thursday Night game), both rushed for over 100 yards in a 28-11 Vol win. Stewart would later run for 215 against Ole Miss and for over 900 yards by himself on the season.

6. QB Peyton Manning 1994

Forced into action when senior QB Jerry Colquitt blew out his knee on the seventh play of the season, Manning waited behind Todd Helton for three games and then battled with fellow freshman Brandon Stewart the rest of the season. The Vols were a 1-3 team when Manning got his first start; Tennessee won seven of their last eight under his leadership. His freshman numbers weren't as good and his freshman wins not as big as two other quarterbacks on this list, in part due to his split reps, but in 1994 he was good enough to earn SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. He did alright after that.

5. QB Casey Clausen 2000

A preseason shoulder injury kept Clausen on the sidelines for most of the Vols' first five games. Like Manning, when Clausen took over the Vols had already lost three games. In his first start, the Vols beat Alabama 20-10, then upset South Carolina in Columbia the following week. Clausen's numbers exploded in wins over Arkansas and Kentucky, in which the Vols scored a combined 122 points. In all, he led the Vols to six straight wins to close the regular season, and still holds the passing yardage record for a freshman QB at Tennessee with 1,473 yards.

4. QB Erik Ainge 2004

Where Manning and Clausen waited their turn to play, Ainge was thrown to the wolves immediately, and then missed the end of the season due to injury. Against the Gators in his second career appearance, Ainge turned in a performance for the ages in a 30-28 Tennessee win. A few weeks later, he led the 12-point underdog Vols into Athens and escaped with a 19-14 win that essentially clinched the SEC East. He was 21 yards away from breaking Casey Clausen's freshman yardage record when a shoulder injury ended his season against Notre Dame; the Vols were 7-1 with him taking the majority of the snaps, and Ainge gets his share of credit for the Vols' Eastern Division title. His 17 TD passes are still a UT freshman record.

3. SS Eric Berry 2007

He started in the nickel package in his first game. He became the starter at strong safety in his second game. He made a national name for himself in his third game, picking off Tim Tebow and racing back 96 yards for a touchdown. It would be one of five interceptions on the year for Eric Berry, along with a UT-record 222 return yards on turnovers. He also came up with a key fumble recovery against LSU in the SEC Championship Game, and tried to kill Tyler Donovan in the Outback Bowl. Berry was the SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year, led conference freshmen in tackles, and was a first team Freshman All-American. That was the warmup.

2. RB Chuck Webb 1989

The holy of holies, who's only at #2 on this list because he didn't get as many carries as the feature back as the guy at #1 did. That's because for the first half of the 1989 season, Webb teamed with Reggie Cobb (who also had a terrific freshman year in 1987) to form the vaunted CobbWebb attack. Coming off a 5-6 1988 season, the duo helped the Vols to a 5-0 start that included huge upsets over UCLA and Auburn. When Cobb was kicked off the team the week of the Alabama game for a substance abuse violation, the Vols lost to the Tide 47-30...but wouldn't lose again. As the feature back for the final six games of the season, the freshman Webb turned in the school's two greatest individual performances: 294 yards against Ole Miss, and 250 yards in the Cotton Bowl against Arkansas, and the Vols shared the SEC title. With only six games as the starter under his belt, Webb still ran for 1,236 yards. He is, to me, the most talented individual player I've ever seen at Tennessee. In the second game of his sophomore year, Webb blew out his knee, and was never seen in Neyland Stadium again.

1. RB Jamal Lewis 1997

The Vols waited three games to get Jamal the ball, including the 33-20 loss to Florida in Peyton Manning's senior year. Didn't know the blocking scheme, they said. When Lewis was named the starter in game four against Ole Miss, he responded immediately: 155 yards and a touchdown. The following week, he responded authoritatively: 232 yards against his home-state Georgia Bulldogs, a performance that still ranks in the Top 10 all time at UT. He would top 200 again against South Carolina later that season, would finish with 1,364 yards (3rd best season ever at UT) and 7 TDs, and helped run out the clock as the Vols won the SEC Championship. Both Chuck Webb and Jamal Lewis averaged 5.9 yards per carry in their freshman seasons.

The Big Orange Roundtable - Week Six Roundup

Will — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:00:10 -0000

Thanks again to all who participated this week...we review the questions and share some of the best answers from around the Vol blogs:

1. Which newcomer do you expect to play the most total snaps this fall?

We liked Montori Hughes on a thin defensive line, and Ghost at Third Saturday in Blogtober likes Hughes or redshirt LB Herman Lathers:

Hughes wowed coaches in the spring, looking — at times — like the best defensive player on the field after a year in prep school. Though he hasn’t been as dominant during the preseason, I was talking to some buddies the other day, about junior DT Victor Thomas, who was discussed a lot this past week. While it’s encouraging to hear Thomas getting some press and some praise from Kiffin, we all believe it’s a ploy by the Kiffster to motivate Hughes, a sure sign that he expects Hughes to play a lot this year. I think to start, Hughes will be the first DT off the bench for the Vols. So, I think it’ll be a close race between him and Lathers, but I’ll roll with Hughes … for now.

Home Sweet Home at Gate 21 liked what he saw from Marsalis Teague at the scrimmage two weeks ago.

The rest of the roundup after the jump...

2. Assuming we all believe Gerald Jones leads the team in receptions this season, who finishes second?

Losers With Socks likes Brandon Warren, and we agree, and so does Gate 21. Ghost, however, brings up an interesting option: Luke Stocker. All in all, it has to get better, as Home Sweet Home mentioned:

One final thought: Jones led UT with 30 catches last year and Lucas Taylor led the Vols in yards. Taylor caught 26 passes. Who was third? Arian Foster with 19. Josh Briscoe and Austin Rogers were the next wide receivers, with both catching 14. All that is to say again how ineffective the quarterbacks were last year. Hopefully the second and third leading receivers this year have more catches—which you think has to happen, right?

3. If Tim Tebow and Eric Berry are the two best players in the SEC, who's third?

It's bad news for the Vols when two different Alabama players are getting love here: we went with Terrence Cody, 3SIB with Rolando McClain. Gate 21 likes Brandon Spikes, and LWS likes Phil Steele's Heisman darkhorse.

4. Generally speaking, which fan base if your favorite/least favorite to interact with?

Home Sweet Home and I agree: we're fine with Auburn, but we don't like Georgia

I got incessantly and constantly barked at, which is fine but extremely annoying. But even more so, my friends and I got cursed at because we had orange on. They had no respect for me. I had sorority girls looking great in red and black dresses dropping the F-bomb at me completely unprovoked.

3SIB, to no surprise, has Alabama at the top of their list, and LWS agrees:

Alabama is both my favorite and least favorite. Favorite because they are the most gullible and least secure fanbase ever. Least favorite because they interrupt any serious dialogue about the future of our great program.

Thanks again to all who participated...two more weeks, boys. Two more weeks.

Talking Points: Bad News in Threes Edition

Hooper — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

To be fair, this guy is coaching the Raiders. You'd be liable to snap, too. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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(Delayed from the usual morning time due to the other posts on the day.)

Brian Butler is at the heart of Bryce Brown's investigation. Like we didn't see this coming, but there you go. The fact that Brown is still allowed to practice is a good sign, though standard NCAA fickleness is still in play.
A round of cold cocks for everyone. It's all the rage, really. The Raiders set the trend, complete with the usual denials and the tacit gratefulness from Lane that he was fired. From there, it moved coast-to-coast to Miami, but not without a brief layover in Knoxville itself. Fortunately, the trend never got off the plane, and fun was had by all. (Side note: after the stretch of two-a-days last week, this bit of stress release was probably the right prescription.)
Somebody remind Memphis that he's no longer eligible. JaJuan Smith has been charged with assault. No details as of yet, but true or not, you hate to hear this news.

Those are your three bad newsies; on to the good.

Vols / Cats on ESPN. Just remind the announcers that the orange blazer is a tradition and not a fashion statement.
Tight Ends = Happy. The tight ends see a much larger role for themselves in the passing game this year, which is making them very happy. With the uptick in tight end passes in the NFL this decade, I'm sure the prospect of adding to that resume isn't hurting their feelings much. Short summary: Luke Stocker is better near the line, and Brad Cottam is better downfield.
Marlon Walls is good. He's fast enough to catch David Oku. After you take a moment to let your eyes o.O for a bit, stop and consider what a roundup that he, Gerald Williams, and Montori Hughes have been for the Vols.
KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER KYLE PRATER VOLS WOO! No, he hasn't announced, but he will on September 2. His five, according to Scout, are Illinois, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC. Tennessee and USC have the best offenses for his skillset, though Illinois and ND have closer to home and Oklahoma allows him to duck any semblance of defense (except for bowl games) for 3-4 years. It'll be interesting to see how he picks.

Tennessee Volunteers Practice Report

Hooper — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:00:00 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Brandon Warren had a very good day on Friday during football practices.

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I had the luxury of heading out to watch the team practice for a while today, which constituted my first real opportunity to watch the coaching staff in action. (I don't count the Orange and White game because spring scrimmages are more dog-and-pony shows than anything else. And unfortunately, because they only allow credentialed media to take pictures, I have no eye candy for you.) I don't know what they were doing before I showed up, but most of the time I was there was spent running plays with the squads alternating on occasion. (They also had one water break and a little time of 7-on-7 drills while the linemen were working separately.) It's hard to compare the practice to any other because I never did watch a practice before, but I can certainly sum up a Vols practice in one word.

Fun.

All the talk you hear of the high-energy, high-paced practices with coaches screaming at everybody and things seemingly on the edge of chaos is absolutely true. I don't know how those coaches can manage to speak the next day; I would have lost my voice a long time ago if I yelled as much as they did for as long as they did. The coaches on defense were particularly amusing; the offensive coaches had to stop once in a while and bother themselves with playcalling, but the likes of Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron were pretty well free to holler at anything that moved (and probably a few things that didn't).

But though it looked nearly out-of-control, things were run very efficiently and very deliberately. A play clock was used to provide pace between plays during the drills, and I never saw the offense have trouble getting the play off. When the ones and twos switched out, everybody went right to their position and was ready. The team was very responsive to the coaches and it was clear that the coaches had the team 'won over'.

I have a favorite Vol for the night.

Montori Hughes.

That dude was hilarious during the latter half of the time I watched. When he wasn't in the drill, he was on the sideline cheering on the defense and jeering on the offense with a voice loud enough to rival Orgeron. (Seriously.) It was all very good-natured stuff that you wouldn't mind your 6-year old hearing, but he would let up only enough for the next play to happen and he'd be right back at it. If his play can match his enthusiasm, he's going to be a lot of fun for us to watch.

That's called light contact?

I know they said today was a light contact day and that they were only using shoulder pads, but there was a lot of hitting going on out there. They stopped short of tackling (on occasion), but they weren't sparing much when it came to getting physical. A couple of times, players got a little pushy-shovey after the play was over, but it never amounted to more than just blowing a little steam. It's easy to see why Brown had to sit out for a light concussion after yesterday's work, and why Poole might have had cramps (or, God forbid, a worse injury) and had to be carted off. They were working really hard out there and there wasn't any let up in intensity throughout. If there's one thing that's going to come out of this preseason practice session, it's that our defense will hit and our offense will be able to take hits. Ouch.

Sacks, turnovers, forced fumbles.

Quarterbacks were given special treatment in that a 'sack' was a defender getting close enough to touch the quarterback. They wisely allowed those plays to continue so the pass could be made and the receivers and defensive backs could get more work. But. Either our defensive line is getting really, really good at pash rushing or our offensive line is in need of a lot of work. There were a lot of sacks registered in that time, and it wasn't uncommon for multiple defenders to make it through.

Some interceptions were thrown as well by both quarterbacks. (Note: Mike Rozier and Nick Lamaison did not participate in these drills due to not having the playbook down enough.) I don't have a trained eye to judge quarterbacks, but I can't say that I would necessarily give an edge to either guy today. For the throws that I was paying close attention to, it seemed that Crompton was a little more accurate. However, both tended to telegraph a little bit, as a couple of their interceptions were obvious to even me before they threw the pass. But a lot of that was that the secondary was in great shape throughout the day and they never got lost.

And lastly, our defense is being trained very heavily to strip the ball and to go after turnovers. Even after the whistle blew, they'd often continue to try to strip the ball; if it came out, they'd chase it down like a live ball with the defensive coaches egging them on. Oh, and turnovers meant a lap for the guilty offensive squad. Mmm... such a lovely field to jog on.

Receivers.

Yeah, we're thin at receiver. But. There is some scary good talent available. Brandon Warren had a terrific day out there; his size makes him a very difficult matchup when he's out wide and he can certainly catch a ball in traffic. I'm guessing he had more catches in that hour and a half than all last season. Probably more yards, too. Nu'Keese Richardson is going to be a lot of fun for Vols fans as well. He's as fast as advertised and very maneuverable. He seemed very confident in his route running (as far as I could tell) and made a lot of very nice catches. Jones had some really athletic grabs, as you'd expect, and the tight ends had mostly good days. Cottam is huge. I was pleasantly surprised when I had to read through my roster sheet to figure out who #23 was, only to find out it was fullback Sam Edgmon running along the sideline for a 30-yard pass pattern. He'd have had a touchdown if the ball hadn't been overthrown by about 3 yards. The running backs had really nice pass-catching days as well. And speaking of the running backs...

You're going to love the running game.

The offensive line still needs some work in pass protection. It wasn't all bad, but it's not their strong suit. The offensive line, however, is looking really good in run schemes. A clear majority of running plays went for good positive yardage, and quite a few runs broke open deep into the secondary. Hardesty had an absolutely terrific day out there and looks like he's determined to have a strong farewell campaign. With Brown and Poole out, he and Oku shared the load, but they didn't seem to mind.

Oku will surprise you as well. Don't let the 'still looks like a skinny freshman' comments fool you; he runs very hard between the tackles and he's a fighter. But he's also quick and crisp and is clearly a good open-space option. In pass defense, he's willing to commit himself to block the bigger guys; it'll be interesting to see how well he can hold up to some of the bigger pass rushers in the league, but I do think he'll give it his best shot.

Quarterbacks

To be blunt about it, I can't tell which had a better day. Like I mentioned earlier, I think Jonathan Crompton had better accuracy on the day, but that's not necessarily saying much. Both he and Nick Stephens threw the ball with a lot of energy. They had their fair share of mistakes, with multiple interceptions by each quarterback, but it was never because they didn't know what they were supposed to doing. Sometimes they telegraphed, but they weren't confused.

Freshmen

Freshmen were everywhere. Honestly, if you didn't know who the freshmen were, you wouldn't have figured it out by watching them play. They must have put in a lot of time learning the playbook over the summer because they didn't need much instruction during the drills. They made a lot of nice plays on both sides of the ball (Janzen Jackson is surprisingly tall, by the way), and it really does appear that we'll see a fair amount of them this coming year.

Fun

The one thing I realized is that, no matter if it's a 6, 8, or 11-win season, this is going to be a fun team to watch. They were high-energy, high-motor, and completely absorbed in the practice today. Once the pads go on for real and they're running through the T to a packed out Neyland Stadium with the band playing Rocky Top, it's going to be a fun show to watch. I seriously don't think we'll have to worry about reports that the team gives up during plays this year (Florida 2007). The Wild Boys had a wild time today, and it'll be a wild time when Western Kentucky rolls into town.

Post-Spring Previews: Tennessee Volunteers

Gamecock Man — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:43:57 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

4 months ago: Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin talks about the upcoming season during the Southeastern Conference football Media Days in Hoover, Ala. on Friday, July 24, 2009. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)

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After hosting Vanderbilt the week before, the Gamecocks travel to Knoxville to take on Lane Kiffin's Tennessee Volunteers. (Remember last time we went there? Yeah, I didn't want to think about that, either. I'd rather remember blowing them out last year. It's still hard to believe that happened. And perhaps even harder to believe that it didn't seem to mean very much.) The Vols, in my estimation, are one of the hardest teams to call this year. For one thing, of course, they have a brand new coaching staff. Personally, I tend to believe that there are lots of indications that Kifin and company, for all their strange antics, will be at least mildly successful in Knoxville. Why not? Kiffin has put together an all-star cast of coaches and managed to bring in a very impressive recruiting class with limited time. Will it be enough to get back to late-90s / early-2000s levels? That's still to be seen. However, I don't see many more 5-7 seasons in store for the Vols. The turnaround may not come immediately, though.

The new coaching staff isn't the only reason this team confuses me. The 2008 version, quite frankly, looked better on paper than it played on the field. Hell, Jonathan Crompton, one of the centers of criticism, was once considered one of the best prep quarterbacks in the country and a sure-fire bluechip prospect. Were the problems the program encountered last year simply owing to misuse of talent by Phil Fulmer and his staff (notably maligned offensive coordinator David Clawson), or were there deeper talent-evaluation issues involved? Perhaps we'll find out this year.

All of this is to say that you can take these comparisons with a grain of salt. I have no idea how good the Vols will be this year, but the following is an indication of how good I think they will be based on somewhat confusing evidence. Let's take a look at the offense first.

Offense

The Vols aim to go back to a more traditional offense after the failed experiment with Dave Clawson's offensive "system" this past season. That should work well for the Vols, who have a backfield built for success running the ball. The passing game, though, still has some questions, as the Vols return embattled quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens and an unproven if talented receiving corps.

Quarterbacks

After having a good spring, Jonathan Crompton appears to be ready to take the starting role he lost midway through last year. Needless to say, 2008 was a disaster for Crompton. He threw for an abysmal 98.13 rating, more INTs than TDs, and he generally looked lost in a number of notable games, such as when he went 8-23 in an offensive clunk-fest loss against Auburn. Crompton did redeem himself somewhat in the season finale against Kentucky. Talent is not the issue for Crompton, who was once one of the nation's most highly sought recruits and who has shown flashes of brilliance at times in his career. Crompton has a cannon of an arm, and you can expect to see the Vols use that to their advantage by occasionally going deep. If Crompton fails, expect for the Vols to go back to Nick Stephens, who was somewhat effective at times in Crompton's relief midway through last year. Some previews I've seeen think Stephens is the guy the Vols should go with, but I'd have to disagree. I'd have to imagine that Vols fans are hoping the Mountain Messiah comes through; Crompton appears to be the better player, and the fact that Stephens didn't really play better than Crompton suggests that the problem may have been as much the system as the players, which would in turn suggest that Crompton might be able to show off his considerable skills if he gets in the right system.

I'm going to give Stephen Garcia the slightest of edges in this one. Garcia had a slightly better 2008 than Crompton. However, although the two have different skill sets, they both had similar 2008s: lots of promise followed by lots of disappointment. It will be interesting to see what kind of year these two are having when the game rolls around; my guess is that both will surprise and be in the top half of the quarterbacks in the SEC. It is worth noting that the Vols, who project to have a strong running game and problems at receiver, will probably try to pound the ball most of the time. Even still, I expect Crompton be much better statistically this year.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Running Backs

The Vols finished 88th in the nation in rushing offense last season, good for ninth in the SEC. That's not going to happen again. Arian Foster is gone, but the Vols have a solid group of experienced backs, including Montario Hardesty and Taureen Poole. However, the big names in this group are the newcomers: Bryce Brown, 2009's top prep prospect by most measures, and David Oku, a top multi-purpose back. These two could form an impressive thunder and lightening duo for years to come. (Actually, it doesn't really make sense to call Brown "thunder" considering that he can really do just about anything--he's 219 and runs a 4.4.) All in all, the Vols have a lot of options in the backfield. If Brown and Oku can learn to produce quickly--and that is an "if" when it comes to freshmen--this could be one of the best backfields in the conference.

I give Tennessee a slight to strong advantage here. Neither of these teams had great running games last year, but both recruited some good players in their recruiting classes and should be much better this year. The Vols, though, brought in the biggest fish of them all in Brown, who, athletically at least, looks like the prototype of the classic SEC back. Tennessee could very well have a Bo Jackson- / Herschel Walker-type on their hands.

Verdict: Slight to Strong advantage Tennessee

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Wide receiver was another sore spot for the Tennessee offense last year. Tennessee graduates top receiver Lucas Taylor and hopes that Gerald Jones, who caught for over 300 yards a year ago, can step up and become the go-to guy. Jones is very talented and could be poised for a breakout year. The Vols hope that Denarius Moore can be the deep-ball threat. (Moore will be out early in the season but should be back for our game.) Austin Rogers, who was supposed to be part of the rotation, is out for the year with a knee injury. It's also possible that star recruit Nu'Keese Richardson might see time on the field, but Richardson's small stature may prohibit him from making an impact until he puts on some weight.

I give us a slight advantage here. Both teams are looking for identity at receiver, but Jason Barnes, Moe Brown, Dion LeCorn, and Weslye Saunders have shown a bit more than UT's group.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Offensive Line

Tennessee needs better play out of its line if it wants to take advantage of all the talent in the backfield. The interior looks solid with Jacques McClendon and Vlad Richard at guards and Josh McNeil at center. However, tackle is a bigger question mark, with uncertainty at both positions. The left tackle will be either Chris Scott or Dallas Thomas. I have no idea who the right tackle will be.

This is a push. Both teams are looking for better line play and will probably get it, but question marks linger. Both teams also have to be worrying about injuries that could reveal depth issues.

Verdict: Push

Let's look at the defense after the jump.

Defense

While I'd say we overall look a bit better on offense than the Vols, they may have the advantage over us on defense. Moreover, Kiffin brings in his pops Monte, one of the NFL's all-time great defensive coordinators. The Vols will run Kiffin senior's famed 4-3 Tampa 2 defense. (The meeting between Kiffin senior and Ellis Johnson will certainly be a battle between two of the SEC's best defensive minds.) Despite the atrocious record, Tennessee's defense was very good last year, and it will probably be good this year despite losing some star power at line and linebacker.

Defensive Line

Tennessee graduates star end Robert Ayers to the NFL. However, this should still be a very good unit for Tennessee. The Vols have two speedy ends in Chris Walker and Ben Martin, both of whom will rack up a number of sacks this year. They also have depth at the position, so expect to see frequent rotation to keep everyone fresh. There's some concern about the effectiveness of the inside linemen; Dan Williams appears to be a solid, but Wes Brown looks a little small for the position. Kiffin is high on freshman Montori Hughes, who may take Brown's spot sooner than later.

I'm going to call this a push. Defensive line should be our strength on defense this year, and I think our starters may be a little better and more seasoned than UT's. However, the Vols have depth on their side, whereas we could be in trouble by this point in the season if we have multiple guys go down.

Verdict: Push

Linebackers

The Vols have one of the conference's better outside linebackers in Rico McCoy. After McCoy, though, they have some more question marks. Nick Reveiz, LaMarcus Thompson, Savion Frazier, and a group of freshmen will likely fill the other positions. This group has the talent to be good but has a lot to prove.

I give us a slight advantage here. We have an All-SEC linebacker in Eric Norwood, an experienced talent in Rodney Paulk, and a group of younger guys that at least have some experience. The Vols, while talented, will have to hope their guys can grow up really fast.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

Tennessee boasts the nation's best safety in Eric Berry. Hell, Berry might very well be the best defensive player in the country, period. He's getting some Heisman hype, a rarity for a defensive player. Berry can do it all; he can knock you silly with a bone-rattling hit, he can come down with a tough interception and then take it to the house, whatever you want. He's essentially a one-man wrecking crew. What's more, Berry has been vocal about believing that his skills will be maximized in Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2 scheme. I don't doubt he's right; this guy knows when to be confident. Highly regarded freshman Darren Myles appears to be the other starter at safety. Tennessee will start Dennis Rogan at one of the corners but is uncertain about the other. However, they have plenty of talented options. This should be a good secondary once the coaching staff figures out how to work the rotation.

Strong advantage Tennessee here. I have serious doubts about our secondary this year (although signing Darrell Givens would ease those a bit). While Tennessee does have some questions of their own, they're mostly the "good" sort of questions: too much talent to know what to do with. And Eric Berry just scares me. You never know when he's going to take one of your guys out of the game or pull in a pick six.

Verdict: Strong advantage Tennessee

Special Teams

Junior Daniel Lincoln returns hoping to improve on his 2008 campaign. Lincoln was one of the conference's best kickers in 2007 (Gamecocks fans know this) but struggled last year. Star punter Britton Colquitt graduates, but Chad Cunningham played well while Colquitt was injured last year and should be a serviceable replacement. The coverage units look solid. The Vols have a number of potential contributors in the return game. Dennis Rogan was a good kickoff returner last year, and freshmen David Oku and Nu'Keese Richardson have the speed to play right away as well.

I'll give the Vols a slight advantage here. Lincoln, who along with Auburn's Wes Byrum stangely got much worse in 2008 after stellar freshmen campaigns, is a cause for concern. However, we also have questions in that department with Ryan Succop gone, and the Vols' talent in the return game is scary.

Verdict: Slight advantage Tennessee

Head Coaches

How good can Lane Kiffin be in the SEC? That's the question that's on many minds around the SEC coming into this year. While some are predicting Kiffin will either achieve great success right away or will bust, I think we'll see something in between for the Vols this year. While the true believers on Rocky Top might not be happy with an eight-win season, in actuality that would be a success for this team. The problem, of course, is that the Vols don't project to have the kind of passing game they'll need to compete with Florida and 'Bama this year. That's not Kiffin's fault, though; if he can get this team on the right track, the quality skill-position players will come. I think Kiffin is capable of getting those eight or nine wins, and if he does that, he'll have proven that he has the potential to bring Tennessee back to the conference's upper echelon. He's already proven that he can do two important things: recruit and compete in the brutal SEC assistant-coaches arms race.

That said, though, Kiffin has yet to prove that he can do those things. Steve Spurrier, on the other hand, has, even if his star has been fading a bit over the past couple of years.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Overall

These are fairly evenly matched teams, a notion confirmed by the fact that most previews I've looked at see both teams going anywhere between 5-7 to 9-3. This game, of course, is one of the toss ups the previews point to. A lot is going to come down to how far along both teams have gotten in terms of answering the questions on offense. Injuries could also be a problem for both teams; offensive injuries in general could devastate Tennessee, whereas injuries to (heaven forbid) Garcia or someone in the secondary could be rough for us. All of this points to a game that's almost impossible to call right now. One thing I do like is that our strengths would seem to play to theirs; we project to have a strong rushing defense this year, they plan to run the ball, we'll probably run more than in years past, whereas their defensive strengths are in the secondary. I'm going to go with a close Carolina victory here, but again, I'm not sure about this one. Tennessee is a wild card; they could be a team that's average, or they could end up being a nine-or-so win team. We'll have to wait and see.

Prediction: Three-point victory USC

Poll

The Tennessee game will be a...

Blowout USC victory

19 votes

Close USC victory

52 votes

Close UT victory

31 votes

Blowout UT victory

26 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed